First-year Selena Levendoski and senior Ellie Meyer stay focused for Carleton’s serve earlier this season. Meyer, Levendoski and coach Thanh Pham earned MIAC honors at the end of the regular season. (Maxwell Collier/TommieMedia)
St. Thomas volleyball’s senior Libero Ellie Meyer, first-year middle defense Selena Levendoski and coach Thanh Pham earned MIAC honors at the end of the regular season.
Levendoski received Rookie of the Year, Meyer received Defensive Player of the Year and coach Pham received Coach of the Year.
“The conference coaches voted and felt like Selena (Levendoski) was… the best freshman of our conference. So that says a lot,” Pham said. “Well-deserved award for Defensive Player of the Year for Ellie Meyer.”
After winning the MIAC conference game against St. Olaf, the Tommies advanced to the NCAA Division III regional playoffs and received three honors.
Head coach Thanh Pham calls a play. Pham earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors after the 2019 season. (Maxwell Collier/TommieMedia)
Both Meyer and Levendoski’s honors were for their performance on the court, but both girls agree it wasn’t an individual effort.
“It’s always cool to get an award, but I think it was a combination of our team’s efforts throughout the whole season,” Meyer said. “What I care more about was our record and how our team did within the conference.”
The St. Thomas volleyball team came together this season and made it to the NCAA Division III regional playoffs, hosted in St. Thomas’ Schoenecker Arena.
“The fact that we do have that deeper, like love and care for each other shows on the court because when we get in a rut, we don’t get tight or like sassy with each other. It’s more of an ‘I’m going to back you up, tell me what you need me to do,’” Meyer said.
The team went 30-5 in its 2019 season, making it to the second round of NCAA Division III regional playoffs.
The Tommies fell in the second round of the playoffs losing 0-3 to UW- Stevens Point.
Mae Macfarlane can be reached at macf7507@stthomas.edu.